Many thanks to all respondents to my earlier query: What Makes a Museum? (ie: is a collection a qualifying element?) Responses (about a dozen) were mostly technical and more than a few were from Children's Museums, some of which had collections and some not. Most folks quoted recent official museum organization definitions--the official line, which was: A museum is an organization that utilizes tangible objects for an educational purpose. So -- an institution may be a valid museum without a collection; and conversely, having a collection doesn't make an institution a museum. There must be Serious Status (or opportunities for getting funding) associated with being named a "museum", as opposed to a "center" or a "gallery" (The National Gallery is an outstanding exception.) Benefits must accrue to "museums" that are not available to "centers" or "galleries". The organization (board and director) that proded my question stated in a news release at the time of a name change (from a gallery to an art museum) that the definition of a museum as an institution that collects (they have no collection), develops, exhibits and interprets objects is an out-dated, narrow and limiting viewpoint. This position has been deemed valid and apparently not only re: Children's Museums and Science Museums that are interactive and hands-on in nature, but also for art museums though they are not usually very hands-on in nature. This definition from the AAM Accreditation Commission and the IMS [as given by Andy Finch AAM Government Affairs ([log in to unmask]")] : "a museum doesn't have to have a collection. Rather, it has to utilize tangible objects for an educational purpose. Conversely, having a collection doesn't necessarily make you a museum. Realizing that there are continual battles on this, the usual disclaimers apply." So I'm back at my original question--what DOES make a museum? Schools utilize tangible objects for an educational purpose, but they aren't museums. Museums have schools, schools have museums, galleries are sometimes museums, an organization with a collection is not necessarily a museum, and one without a collection may be a museum. I still don't know ---- what really makes a museum? From the responses so far, this query has been treated with kid gloves--the official position must be in more that a little contention? Carol Morgan Director of a Museum (I think)